Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 683,470. v Patented Oct. I90l.

C.'A. KING;

A GETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed. Sept. 6, 1900. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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No. 683,470. I Patented Oct. mm.-

" c. A. KING.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application'filed sm. 6, 1900. QNo Model.) 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT (inmost.

CLARENCE A. KING, OF NORVVICH,NE\V YORK.

AC ETY LEN E-'GA S G EN ERAT' OR;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,470, dated otobei 1, 190i.

Application filed September 6, 1900 Serial No 29,121. (No model.)

To a. whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLARENCE A. KING, of Norwich, in the county of Ohenango, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefullmprovements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in acetylene-gas generators, and has for its object the production of a simple and practical device in which a large body or quantity of calcium carbid may be placed and portions thereof converted into gas without devitalizing or disintegrating the remaining portions of said body.

The further objects of this invention are to provide means for removing the accumulating precipitate or sludge and also to pro vide a suitable follower for facilitating the feed of the carbid and for preventing undue escape of the generated gases.

To this end the invention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangement of the component parts of an acetylene-gas generator, as hereinafter f uliy described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of my invention. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal sectional view taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an inverted view of the detached inner shell, the carbidsupporting grate secured thereto, and the water-conduits for discharging the water against the carbid. Fig. 4; is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the outer annular conduit. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the inner annular conduit.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

In the production of acetylene gas it has been generally regarded as impracticable to successfully and economically generate gas from a large body or quantity of carbid in one receptacle, owing to the fact that the affinity of the carbid for moisture causes the water and its vapor to permeate and disintegrate the whole mass, thereby causing an undue production of gas and destroying the vitality of the carbid by enveloping the same in amass of sludge I have demonstrated,

sists of an outer shell 1, having lower and up per water-compartments 2 and 3, an inner. shell or receptacle 4 for receiving the carbid, means for supplying moisture to the carbid, additional means for removing the sludge or precipitate, and a follower for facilitating the feed of the carbid and preventing undue escape of the gas from the carbid-receptacle.

The shell 1 may be of any desired form, size,

or construction, and preferably consists of an upright hollow cylinder formed of substantially uniform diameter throughout its length and having its upper end open and its lower end provided with downwardly-inclined converging walls 5 and a substantially central outlet-conduit 6. The converging walls 5 form the bottom wall of the water-compartment 2 and serves to receive the sludge or precipitate and to concentrate the same toward the outlet-conduit 6. This compartment 2 is preferably arranged to receive the generated gases and the sludge or precipitate from the carbid-chamber 4 and is provided with an overflow-conduit 7, discharging into a suitable reservoir 8, arranged at one side of the compartment 2 and provided with an overflow-opening 9. The water discharged against the carbid is also admitted to the compartment 2 and rises to the level of the overflow 9, thereby forming a water seal and serving to liberate any gases which may remain in the precipitate or sludge. The overflow-conduit 7 is preferably provided with a downturned end arranged within the reservoir 8 and serves to conduct the water from the compartment 2 to said reservoir, whereupon the water rises in the reservoir 8 until 'the same overflows through the opening 9 above the discharge end of the conduit 7 and forms a water seal for preventing the escape of gas through said conduit 1 when the water in the compartment 2 is beneath the upper end of the conduit 7.

It is evident from the above description that the water overflowing through the opening 9 regulates the amount of water within the compartment 2 and that even when the water is discharged from the compartment 2 the reservoir 8 is still filled with water and forms a permanent seal for preventing the escape of gas from said compartment 2.

The upper compartment 3 is arranged above the compartment 2 and is separated therefrom by a transverse wall 10, which preferably forms a continuation of the walls of the carbidreceptacle 4 and extends downwardly and outwardly from the lower end of said carbid-receptacle and is secured at its outer edges to the walls of the shell 1 by suitable fastening means 11. As previously stated, the upper end of the compartment 3 is open and receives a portion of a movable follower, presently described. \Vater is admitted to the compartment 3, preferably through its open upper end, and is permitted to rise in said compartment to a point in close proximity to its upper end.

The carbid-chamber 4 may also be of any desired form or size, is supported within the upper compartment 3 of the shell 1, and preferably consists of a cylindrical shell formed of less diameter than the outer shell 1., and the water in the compartment 3 forming a water-jacket surrounding the carbid-chamber 4. The upper end of the carbid-chamber 4 is open, and its lower end is provided with a suitable supporting-grate 12 for receiving and supporting the carbid. This grate 12 preferably consists of outer and inner annular rings 13 and 14 and separated substantially radial bars 15, alternate bars 15 uniting said rings and the remaining bars being shorter and projecting from the outer ring 13. The rings 13 and 14 are arranged in substantially the same plane, and the radial bars 15 are deflected downwardly from said rings,- preferably in curved planes, their intermediate portions being disposed in planes beneath their opposite ends. These rings 13 and 14 and connecting-bars 15 are usually formed integral with each other, the outer ring 13" being secured to the walls of the shell 4 by suitable fastening means 16. The lower faces of the rings 13 and 14 are provided with grooves 17 for receiving annular outer and inner water-conduits 18 and 19, presently described, the inner ring 14 being provided with an upwardly-extending substantially conical cap 20, which serves as a partial support for the carbid within the receptacle 4 and also serves to deflect the generated gas into a suitable service pipe or conduit 22, also presently described. The annular water-conduits 18 and 19, previously mentioned, are provided with a series of radial discharge-nipples 23 and 24, inclining downwardly in the direction of inclination of the adjacent ends of the bars 15, the nipples 23 projecting from the inner face of the conduit 18 and the nipples 24 projecting from the outer face of the conduit 19.

The construction and arrangement of the supporting-grate and annular conduits just described form an essential part of this invention. The opposite inclined ends of the grate-bars serve to support the lower layers of the carbid in incline planes, and the nipples 23 and 24, being alined with the spaces between said bars, serve to discharge the water from the conduits 18 and 19 into a series of downwardly-deflected jets, which contact with the lower faces of the carbid, thereby producing a limited supply of moisture to the carbid for converting the same into gas and at the same time removing the sludge from the grate-bars and the adjacent portions of the carbid. It is thus apparent that the surface of the carbid adjacent to the grate is always free from sludge or disintegrated particles of the carbid and that the glancing contact of the jets of water against the lower surface of the mass of carbid maintains awclean and active body for the water to act upon.

Any desired means may be employed for conducting the water to the annular conduits 18 and 19, and, as seen in the drawings, this means consists of a supply-conduit 30, eX- tending through the shell 1 within the lower compartment 2 and having its inner end provided with upwardly-extending branches 31 and 32, connected, respectively, to the annular conduits 18 and 10, and its outer end provided with a suitable valve 33 for controlling the supply of water to said annular conduits.

The service-pipe 22 for conducting the gas from the generator may be of any desired construction and preferably extends transversely through the opposite Walls of the shell 1 and is secured thereto by suitable nuts 25, which serve to hold said pipein position and to brace the opposite walls of the shell 1. The intermediate portion of the 0011- duit 22 within the lower compartment 2 of the shell 1 is provided with an upwardly-extending branch 36, having its upper end open and extended within the ring 14 in proximity to the conical end of the cap 20. This branch 36 is usually formed of less diameter than the interior diameter of the ring 14 for permitting the passage of the gas from the upper end of the compartment 2 through the ring 14, around the branch 36, whereupon such gas is deflected by the cap 20 into the branch 36, and thence outwardly through the conduit 22 to a suitable gas-receptacle. (Not illustrated.)

It is evident from the foregoing description that as the water is discharged from the rings 18 and 19 against the carbid adjacent to the supporting-grate the sludge is precipitated to the bottom wall of the compartment 2 and that the gas generated from the carbid passes downwardly from the lower layers through the supporting-grate into the upper end of the compartment 2 and upwardly through the ring 14 and thence downwardly through the branch 36 and service-pipe 22.

Any desired means may be employed for removing the sludge or other disintegrated particles from the compartment 2 through the discharge-opening 6. This means preferably consists of a revolving shaft 40, having its upper end provided with an arm 41, arranged in close proximity to the wall 5, and a screw 42, secured to said shaft and arranged within the conduit 6. This shaft is provided at its lower end with a suitable gear 43, meshing with a gear 44, which is mounted on a crank-operated shaft and may be rotated when desired for removing the sludge from the compartment 2. The arm 41 is usually provided with a series of blades, which may be suitably inclined in the direction of rotation for forcing the sludge toward the discharge-opening when said arm is rotated. The discharge-conduit 6 is provided with a suitable valve 46. lVhen it is desired to remove the sludge or Water from the compartment 2, the valve 46 is opened and the crank-shaft 45 is rotated for sim ultaneously rotating the arm 41 and the screw 42, which together draw or force the sludge or water from the compartment 2 through the valve 46.

The follower previously mentioned preferably consists of inner and outer cylindrical shells 50 and 51, united together at their upper ends, the inner shell being arranged within the carbid-receptacle 4 and having its upper end open and its lower end provided with a wall 52, normally resting upon the body of carbid within the receptacle 4, and the outer shell 51 being arranged within the chamber 3 between the outer shell 1 and the inner shell 4 and having its lower end open and its upper end united to the inner shell 50. This follower is reciprocally movable within the chambers 3 and,4, the shell 51 of said follower being immersed in the water in the compartment 3 for forming a water seal, and thus preventing the escape of gas from the carbid-chamber 4.

The operation of my invention will now be readily understood upon reference, to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, and it will be noted that considerable change may be made in the detail construction and arrangement of the parts of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof. Therefore I do not limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement herein shown and describeda Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An acetylenegas generator comprising a receptacle for the carbid, and concentric waterrings having apertures in adjacent faces for directing jets of water toward each other in contact with portions of the lower surface of the carbid.

2. An acetylene gas generator comprising a carbid-receptacle having separated gratebars depressed at their intermediate portions, and means for discharging jets of wa-.

ter from opposite ends of the grate-bars toward their depressed portions and against the carbid.

3. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a carbicl-receptacle having inner and outer rings and separated grate-bars uniting said rings, said grate-bars having the intermediate portions of their upper faces depressed below the upper faces of their opposite ends, and means for discharging a series of waterjets from said rings along the upper faces of the bars.

4. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a carbid-receptacle having portions of the upper face of its bottom wall inclined downwardly and provided with an opening extending through the bottom wall, and a water-conduit having a branch passage inclining in the direction of inclination of said wall.

and discharging against the carbid and into the opening.

5. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a carbid-receptacle having a lower wall provided with a substantially central grate-ring and grate-bars extending laterally therefrom, a gas and water chamber beneath the grate, a deflector-cap closing the open upper end of the grate-ring, a perforated annular waterring beneath the cap and discharging water against the lower surface of the carbid, and a gas-conduit having an open upper end arranged Within the grate-ring for conducting the gas from the gas-chamber.

6. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a carbid-receptacle having a lower wall provided with a substantially central grate-ring and grate-bars extending laterally therefrom, a gas and water chamber beneath the grate, a deflector-cap closing the open upper end of the grate-ring, a perforated annular waterring beneath the cap and discharging water against the lower surface of the carbid, and a gas-conduit having an open upper end arranged Within the grate-ring for conducting the gas from the gas-chamber, and an additional perforated water-ring surrounding the former water-ring in proximity to the outer periphery of the grate-bars for discharging water inwardly against the lower face of the carbid.

7. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a carbid-receptacle having separated gratebars depressed at their intermediate portions, means for discharging jets of water from opposite ends of the grate-bars toward their depressed portions and against the carbid, a gas and water chamber beneath the grate, and a conduit leading from the gas-chamber.

8. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a shell havinga gas-chamber, a carbid-receptacle above the gas-chamber and having its bottom wall provided with a grate, a substantially central water-ring having lateral per- IIO & esaevo forations discharging water against the lower surface of the carbid, a second perforated water-rin g surrounding the former water-rin g and discharging against the lower surface of the carbid.

9. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a carbid-receptacle having an open upper end and agrate in its base a Water-jacket surrounding the carbid-receptacle, and a follower consisting of shells or drums arranged one within the other and united at their upper ends by a closed wall, the inner shell being closed at its lower end and movable in v the carbid-receptacle, and the outer shell having its lower end open and movable in the water-jacket for the purpose described.

10. An acetylene-gas generator comprising 7 a carbid-recepta-cle having its lower wall provided with a grate, means for discharging a jet of water in a downwardly-inclined plane against the surface of the carbid adjacent to the grate, a gas-chamber beneath the grate, a water-jacket surrounding the carbid-receptacle, and a follower having inner and outer shells movable respectively in the carbid-receptacle and in the water-jacket for the purposes described.

11. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a carbid-receptacle having separated gratebars depressed at their intermediate portions, means for discharging jets of Water from opposite ends of the grate-bars toward their depressed portions and against the carbid, a gas and water chamber beneath the grate, a conduit leading from the gas-chamber, and rotary means for removing the precipitate or sludge from the water-chamber.

12. An acetylene-gas generator comprising ner shell formed of less diameter than the outer shell and having its lower wall formed with a hollow central portion and downwardly-depressed grate-bars, a cap inclosing the upper end of the opening, water-com duits arranged in proximity to the opposite ends of the grate-bars, and provided with downwardly-inclined outlet-passages, a wall uniting the inner and outer shells for dividing the outer shell into upper and lower water and gas compartments, a gas-conduit leading from said central opening to the exterior of the shell, a water seal for the gas-chamber, and a follower movable in the carbid-receptacle and water-chamber for the purpose described.

13. An acetylene-gas generator comprising an outer shell having independent lower and upper water-compartments, a carbid-receptacle inclosed within the upper water-compartment and having an open supportinggrate forming a portion of the upper wall of the lower compartment, and a follower consisting of inner and outer shells united by the closed wall of their upper ends, the outer shell being movable in the upper water-compartment and the inner shell being movable in the carbid-receptacle and provided with a transverse wall.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of August, 1900.

CLARENCE A. KING.

WVitnesses:

D. B. GUsHMAN, FRANK P. BARNES. 

